Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-10-15
PIONEER EXPERIENCES.
JOURNEYINGS TO CALIFORNIA IN
EARLY DAYS.
Incidents Met With on the Pan
anna Route is the sos.


Joseph Rowell, pastor of the Mariners
Church, San Francisco, by request, sug-
gested by his remarks at the recent thir-
tieth Congregational Association ami
yersary, in this city j
Let US place ourselves back at New
York, in 1851. The steamer for Panama
is TO sail at 10 o'clock this morning. We
hurry down to the dock on North river
The wharf is crowded with freight, bag
gage, trucks and emigrants, mingled in
utter confusion. But at last, after much
struggling, swearing, crying of children,
and help from policemen, we all get on
board and are packed away somehow,
twelve hundred of ne in steamer made to
carry five hundred, and the sweltering,
wearisome voyage begins.
No particular event or excitement occurs
until we approach the dreaded Cape
Hatteras. Many are the anxious inquiries,
and when the Captain responds, ave shall
be there tomorrow at 9 O'clock" the word
robs many of half nights rest. The
set time comes, and we are there. 1t is
rough great seas toss Us about, and many
novices are seriously frightened; but
there is little real danger, and soon We are
in smoother water again.
TRoPIC BEAUTY AND SQUALLS.
A few mornings later we are walked
from sweet sleep by odors rivaling those
of Araby, the best" pervading the
whole ship. In wonder and delight, all
hurry on their clothes and crowd on deck,
and there, close on hand, as it seems to US,
lie the shores of Jamaica, smiling on us
In tropic luxuriance and beauty. It is a
lovely vision, and some wish they could be
set ashore and spend the rest of life there.
But wiser ones reply, "One days life
there would make you wish yourselves
aboard the ship again"
Soon the beautiful isle is far astern
and fades from sight, and in one more
days sail comes the fierce contrast. A
white squall breaks on Us suddenly,
first fattens the waves level like a house
floor, and then covers the whole face Of
the sea with foam, six feet deep appar-
emily, catches the ship, careens her fear
fully, and with ripping roar louder than
many thunders, tears away everything
movable, and fills the ship with terror,
screams and prayers. But in a few hours
all the fury is past, and with no serious
damage done the ship is got on her way
again.
PREPARING FOR OVERLAND.
A few mornings later the late sleepers
are reused with the joyful cry of LAND ~
" land p It is the truth, and happier
crowd than we was never seen. In a few
hours we round a rocky bluff and are at
anchor in blight called the port of Chagres.
All loose baggage is hastily packed, and as
fast as their effects are got out of the hold,
the passengers crowd ashore in boatloads,
and all in boundless tumult and confusion,
bargaining for places in the curious river
boats. The naked native boatmen have
learned enough of English to be able to
name the price of passage, and no jabber-
ing eloquence of those who "have been
there before" can move them. We
must pay first what they ask, for there is
no competition. Indeed, in such q crowd
we are glad not to be left behind.
PRovIpESTIAL INCIDENT.
Shall here relate bit of personal ex-
perience, showing how God takes better
care of his own than they can do for them
selves. While in New York / engaged
professional packers to pack my books and
all my earthly goods in waterproof pack
ages, so that they might not be ruined by
the rains and mud of the Isthmus, but
they delayed their work SO that | nearly
lost my passage, and had to leave my
property on the dock, to be put aboard OF
not as the mate might see fit, and he told
me that they would not go aboard if l lief,
them there. But | was compelled to dc
so, as | had to go up town. got back to
the ship as they were casting off her lines,
and could only see that my packages were
not on the wharf Every day of the voy-
age, when passengers were permitted &C
cess to their baggage, looked for mine in
vain, and when we arrived at Chagres |
took my stand at the hatch and waited till
all the baggage was on deck, and with
every passenger was gone on shore. But
at last among the freight my things ap-
peared, and all safe. But how was to
get up the river? When / reached the
shore it was Just as | anticipated, every
boat was gone, and | was left alone in one
of the most pestilential holes in the world
But l was perfectly calm. l knew that in
some way God would provide for me. !
left all my things on the river bank, and
took a walk to find what l might
Soon turning bend in the
river / saw boat with an awning in
charge of white man. ! went directly
to him and stated my case: 81 am a
clergyman, going to live at Panama, to
preach the gospel there; and, through nc
fault of mine, am left behind" He
Strengthened himself up, looked me in the
4, tlo&
bound for Panama, to live and preach the
gospel there" He saw / was in earnest
and said: "This is Adams & Co.'s expires:
boat, and We never take passengers. But
if you are going to preach in that damned
hole, will take you" So, just in conse
quence of that yexing and seemingly I'M
fortunate delay in New York, instead o.
being packed in among a sweltering, swear
ing, fighting, drunken crowd for three
days river passage, was the only pas
senger on the best boat, with the best crew
on the river, with room to sit, or lie down
Or walk about able TO read, or pray, or Dc
what | pleased. How many times
thanked God, for what ! had counted {
misfortune.
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING.
But let Us take up our strange voyage
For the first ten miles the water is deer
and we trust to oars. Almost Immediately
We plunge into a dense mass of under
growth, and are overwhelmed and sick
ened with an ocean of perfume. 1t is th'
breath of magnolias, overspreading the
miles and miles of swamp land all around
us. One magnolia is sweet, but millions
are nauseous. We are all glad to get ava,
from this dcluge of sweetness, and into
region where a rift, here and there, let
our vision through into reaches of gorgeou
and luxuriant vegetation, surprising al
description. Then, with the first rays O
the sun, numberless parrots in vivid sheen
fit across our way, filling the air Will
their discordant screams. And there is a
TREE THRoNGED WITH MONKEYS,
Chattering their displeasure at our intru
sion 4 huge and notwithstanding liar
rims I'D the bank. Our leader calls il a,